New one here :)

[R22B]

Hey everyone... I'm new here. Just saying hey and I'm wondering a few things.

When I tell someone I have a 91 2.3L 4WD, people are shocked. Their responses got me searching for build numbers but to no avail. I also have a long bed... I'm wondering if my truck is rare or not and if there are build numbers.

Thanks!

 

[Mark_88]

Howdy...it's pretty rare...but there are a few around...what is even rarer is if they don't have rust...or dents...that's where you can really wow them...lol

Welcome...

 

[Will]

It's definately not unheard of, just not too common. A Ranger is kind of a cheap vehicle so I wouldn't get too excited about documenting it and I doubt Ford cared enough to keep records. We appreciate it, though. The reason there aren't many is because dealers want to make a profit and pimp the upgrades. I don't think many dealers wanted the basic models on their lots and in '91 there were 3 V6s offered--the 3.0 gradually replacing the 2.9 and then the 4.0 at the top. The good thing about your year is that I believe you have a real D35 and not a D28 or the D28 hiding inside the D35 beam as later trucks had. It would be nice to see you keep it stock. It's probably the most hardware wrapped around the least engine in a little pickup ever.

 

[Tonka]

Hey everyone... I'm new here. Just saying hey and I'm wondering a few things.

When I tell someone I have a 91 2.3L 4WD, people are shocked. Their responses got me searching for build numbers but to no avail. I also have a long bed... I'm wondering if my truck is rare or not and if there are build numbers.

Thanks!

Another new guy here.

I got an '89 with a 2.9L V6 on a Mazda-built 5 speed M5R1 trans. Long bed, standard cab, 2WD.

It looks like crap but I love my little truck. It actually has more pulling power than my 88 F-150 which has a 302 and AOD trans. That's the difference between an actual transmission and something called an "automatic".

 

[Will]

I happen to like automatics. They have gears in them, just like a standard shift. They have a hydraulic pump to activate the servos and bands that shift the gears, but there are gears in there. They have the added advantage of a torque converter--a brilliant device that amplifies torque whenever the load on it increases. It's capable of doubling the torque if you load it to it's stall speed--even 2.5x torque.

I'll put it this way--if you put in a manual trans with the same gears that F150's auto has, it would be even more of a dog.

Before lock-up converters, there was a definite loss to the converter churning fluid when you didn't need it. With a lockup clutch on it, there's not a lot of difference and in some cases autos are better. The Honda Fit is an example that I can recall where the auto gets a better EPA mileage rating.

It ain't the slushbox slowing down the F150--it's just slow anyway.

 

[Tonka]

I honestly don't understand spending $40,000 on something that has a warranty. Every truck I've ever had has been used. Every single truck I've ever had with an automatic has had a V8 but was a total dog, no power, terrible on gas, and the trans eventually starts slipping.

Every single truck I've ever had with a manual trans has happened to be a 6 cylinder, and every single one of them has been able to tow anything I've ever hooked up to them, without any transmission problems.

I think I'm pretty settled on stick-shift transmissions for trucks. My car has an automatic, but that's ok, it's just a car.

I've been a truck driver for 7 years. Every single one I've ever driven has a standard trans. Some fleets are starting to get automatics, but they're nothing like the automatics in cars and pickup trucks. They're actually an "autoMATED" trans, meaning it's a standard 10 or 13 speed manual transmission, with robotic equipment added externally to operate the clutch, shift linkage, and to work the throttle. (there's no synchros in heavy duty truck transmissions, they only mesh after the driver matches the RPMs with his foot)

I'd only have an automatic in a truck if it's built the same way as a 18 wheeler's "automatic" so I don't have to worry about silly "bands" and power-robbing torque converters and "pressure plates" or whatever junk these light-duty trucks use.

(Unless it's under warranty, then I'd trade it the day the warranty expires)

 

[R22B]

It's definately not unheard of, just not too common. A Ranger is kind of a cheap vehicle so I wouldn't get too excited about documenting it and I doubt Ford cared enough to keep records. We appreciate it, though. The reason there aren't many is because dealers want to make a profit and pimp the upgrades. I don't think many dealers wanted the basic models on their lots and in '91 there were 3 V6s offered--the 3.0 gradually replacing the 2.9 and then the 4.0 at the top. The good thing about your year is that I believe you have a real D35 and not a D28 or the D28 hiding inside the D35 beam as later trucks had. It would be nice to see you keep it stock. It's probably the most hardware wrapped around the least engine in a little pickup ever.

I'm not that worried about it being it being worth a lot, its just more for food for thought . Just thought it'd be interesting to know is all.

I plan on keeping it stock as there isn't enough power to push larger wheels or tires. The only thing I know is that it has a posi rear

 

[Tonka]

I'm not that worried about it being it being worth a lot, its just more for food for thought . Just thought it'd be interesting to know is all.

I plan on keeping it stock as there isn't enough power to push larger wheels or tires. The only thing I know is that it has a posi rear

Back in 2001 the truck my boss gave me to use as a work truck was a 1986 Ranger, yellow, 4 speed stick-shift, 2.3 liter 4 cylinder, 2 wheel drive, and it had a lift kit with big oversize mudders on it. Why somebody would do that to a 2WD truck with a 4 cylinder I have no idea, but it was cool looking. NO power at all though.

 

[Will]

I'd only have an automatic in a truck if it's built the same way as a 18 wheeler's "automatic" so I don't have to worry about silly "bands" and power-robbing torque converters and "pressure plates" or whatever junk these light-duty trucks use.

That's an automated manual. An Allison 4000 can handle an ISX 15 but would be found more in mixer trucks and other things besides road tractors. An Oshkosh S-series concrete mixer, for example, has silly bands and thingys, no manual option. An Army HEMTT has an Allison 4500 with silly bands and thingys.

Guess what a Caterpillar mining truck has for a transmission? A planetary-type tranny with clutches and bands and a lock-up converter.

A bulldozer, main battle tank, Marine amtrack--all autos with clutches and bands and torque converters.

A road tractor like you drive is about the only heavy vehicle that has a manual trans. When a vehicle spends all of its time making straight lines across the country, it makes sense to have a manual or automated manual for the fuel savings. It's a small percentage, though, that only matters with road tractors.

 

[RangerSVT]

Every single truck I've ever had with an automatic has had a V8 but was a total dog, no power, terrible on gas, and the trans eventually starts slipping.

Come take a ride in my Ranger with my automatic. I can pull-start a 79,800 lb 18 wheeler with 33" tires. And trust me, its not slow or sluggish on takeoff. My motor is a stock V8 except for the exhaust (stock manifolds)...Maybe the trucks you have had were abused. Not all auto's are bad and sluggish. Remember, manual transmissions have clutches too, and eventually they need replacing as well
SVT

 

[Tonka]

Come take a ride in my Ranger with my automatic. I can pull-start a 79,800 lb 18 wheeler with 33" tires. And trust me, its not slow or sluggish on takeoff. My motor is a stock V8 except for the exhaust (stock manifolds)...Maybe the trucks you have had were abused. Not all auto's are bad and sluggish. Remember, manual transmissions have clutches too, and eventually they need replacing as well
SVT

I've had PLENTY of guys tell me their automatics are great, they can tow anything, blah blah blah. Doesn't change the fact that every single one that I have owned has been a piece of junk. The guy I bought my F-150 from was towing a 30 foot travel trailer with it. I'd have raised hell about it, but he happens to be the guy who signs my paycheck.

I encounter the "pro's" all the time out on the road. These guys all own 1 ton dually diesels and they deliver campers to dealerships all over the country, from northern Indiana where they're made. Until recently, you would NEVER see them with anything but a Powerstroke Ford, or a Cummins Dodge. And they were all stick-shift. Every single one of them. You mention an automatic and you're likely to get a wrench thrown at you.

That was until recently though. I've been starting to see them running Chevys with the Duracell diesels and the Allison automatics. I guess what they say is the Allison is the same trans that goes in a school bus.

My problems have been with lighter duty trannies like the C4 that was in my 1976 F-100. It had no 2nd gear. I put a junkyard trans in it from a Lincoln Continental, and it was fine, had all 3 gears and didn't slip, but the truck just didn't have any power, even with the souped-up Mustang 302 I put in it with the 750 Holley.

My F-150 has an AOD, slips in all gears when towing.

About pull-starting an 18 wheeler with a ranger: I've seen humans do that on TV, you know, the big ugly muscle guys. DON'T do it again, though. You're severely torquing the **** out of EVERYTHING doing that, heating up that trans, you're lucky you didn't at least bust a U-joint. I KNOW you did it on pavement, or otherwise your ranger simply wouldn't be heavy enough to get the traction to do it. I towed an 11,000 lb Ford van chassis motor home with my little Honda Foreman 500 ATV. I had both of my girlfriend's fat brothers on it, one on each rack, for traction. The little quad did it, although it tore up the grass doing so. I'll never do something like that again, I just don't feel like replacing drive-train components. My quad is one of the rare ones that DON'T have an automatic or CVT these days. It's got an actual geared transmission, but has a centrifugal clutch instead of a manual one.

Another time when the splines in my old 71 VW Beetle's brake drum stripped out, it was "neutral in all gears". I walked home and the only thing available at the time to tow it home was my 1983 Honda Shadow 750 motorcycle. I towed it home with a rope, had a friend riding in the bug to steer it. That bike was awesome, when I was starting off I let the clutch fully engage early to save wear and tear on it, and momentarily had that engine lugged down so much I could feel the individual power strokes for a second.

 

[Heavyfire14]

haha ive had bad luck with automatic trannys and i change my own fluids and im kinda lazy so ya, i drive stick (no stupid pump, oil cooler ar oil filter in tranny) but, i do like the 5r55e auto 5 gear ranger tranny but, only if its bolted up to a 4.0. but i also know there is some good and dare i even say great auto trannys out there. just not for me

p.s. welcome, and sorry about the thread jack

 

[RangerSVT]

The point I was making is while automatic trannies are not designed to do some jobs, they still can. But whether is an auto or manual, parts will wear. As technology increases, Auto trannies become stronger and more reliable. Do you know that the 2011 Ford diesels are NOT available with a manual transmission, even if you want one?? Why do you think this is?? The motors are starting to produce so much power that a clutch can't handle the amount of power that is being produced and have any type of longevity to the clutch without costing the manufacturer a ton of money. I'm sure we can go back and forth all month on the pro's and con's of each. All I'm saying is just because one or two trucks gave you problems, doesn't mean they are all bad
SVT

 

[Tonka]

... Do you know that the 2011 Ford diesels are NOT available with a manual transmission, even if you want one?? Why do you think this is??

Because of the overall decline of intelligence in the general population. People are getting too stupid to learn how to drive a stick-shift. Or having to shift is too much of a hassle because they might have to put their cell phones down. The vast majority of people want automatics now, so with limited demand for manuals, it's simply cost prohibitive to even bother to manufacture manual transmissions in today's economy. It's market forces. I also blame all the people who buy an F-150 to haul groceries and then refer to their F-150 as "the car" and expect it to ride like a car, drive like a car, etc.

The motors are starting to produce so much power that a clutch can't handle the amount of power that is being produced and have any type of longevity to the clutch without costing the manufacturer a ton of money.

Nah. Them jap bikes with like 300 horsepower that go like 400 mph on their back wheel have tiny little clutches in them. The 18 wheeler I drive has 1,850 lbs of torque and a manual trans. Never had a clutch slip.

I'm sure we can go back and forth all month on the pro's and con's of each.

Nah, I can see this debate going on for a few hours maybe, as long as we're talking about general differences and not going into details about specific models.

All I'm saying is just because one or two trucks gave you problems, doesn't mean they are all bad
SVT

Yes it does, ... in my opinion. But it's not like I'm running for president so I can ban automatic transmissions or anything. I mean you can't expect people to put down their cell phones to actually shift gears, that would be mean.

I'll give you one point though, ... at the boat ramp, GIVE ME AN AUTOMATIC!! LMAO!! I did the stick-shift at the boat ramp thing before. Not easy.

 

[Will]

You can have an opinion, Tonka, but it's totally unsubstantiated. You might as well demand an old cable and drum steam shovel because the new hydraulic backhoe is a limp-wristed POS.

A torque converter is something that was used on bulldozers even when they had manual transmissions.

The rest of an automatic tranny is just hydraulic parts.

A road tractor with an unsynchonized tranny isn't suitable for anything but a road tractor. You have to unload the transmission to get it out of gear and it's floating until you get it into the next gear and apply the throttle again. A vehicle that needs to keep pushing while upshifting can't use any manual tranny. A mud truck, for instance, dies when you push the clutch in. An auto bangs the next gear instantly and there is no loss of power to the wheels.

A Duramax isn't available with a manual. They are certainly used for LTL because I'm on the road a lot and see them. I've had my current truck for 7 years with a TH400 with a GearVendors splitter and tow up to 10,000# with it.

I towed M198s in the marines in the 80s and early 90s with 813s and 923s so I know about manuals and autos with loads. Those are 65,000# gvwr 6x6s with the gun as a 16,000# trailer, incidently. I've also been around Hmmwv's and Cucv's, which had TH400s and always did a good job for us. I had friends that were in amtracks and self propelled M109 and M110s, also automatic transmission vehicles in the 30-ton range. I'm just not seeing your small sample problems with an F150 as being worth mentioning. I don't think you know what you are talking about.

The Powerglide came out in 1950. They are still used in drag racing. Autos are definitely not the garbage you portray them as. You don't know anything about it.